


Trick-or-Treat!

by MonsterBrush



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 03:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8354965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonsterBrush/pseuds/MonsterBrush
Summary: The kids go trick-or-treating, Pitch meets his doppelgänger, Sophie is adorable, and Mrs. Bennett almost calls the police.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by my Inktober drawing (though technically the drawing was inspired by the fic since I started writing this in January for giggles), and it's also me answering my own prompt on the kinkmeme that I posted anonymously, back before I realized I could just write the fanfiction myself.
> 
> Happy Halloween!

“What do you want, Frost?” Pitch’s voice echoed around the empty cavern ominously. The man himself was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh nothing~. Just thought I’d drop by, see how you’re doing. I’m sure you’re aware what day it is—“

“I think I’ll stop you right there, Frost,” Pitch interrupted as his shadow passed over the wall. “You tried this last year.” The Bogeyman prowled from the darkness with his hands clasped behind his back. He was of course referring to Jack’s admittedly ill-fated attempt at getting Pitch join him for some Halloween hijinks. It hadn’t been a very good plan, especially when Sandy found out. Jack was unfazed by the murderous glare he was given.

“I know, I know. But that’s not why I’m here,” Jack began, twirling his staff casually. Pitch’s expression didn’t change, although the cavern definitely seemed to darken.

“Oh?” Pitch asked coolly, pausing in front of Jack, just a bit too close for comfort.

“Don’t look so grumpy, I just want to show you something,” Jack promised, his smile never dimming, to Pitch’s eternal disgust. “You’re going to love it, trust me.”

“Trust you? Now there’s a frightening thought,” Pitch snarked, baring his teeth. Jack rolled his eyes at the man’s prickliness.

“You don’t have to stay long. You can leave right after if you want, but you need to see this,” Jack insisted. He could barely keep himself from spoiling the surprise.

A long-suffering sigh signaled Pitch’s reluctant surrender as he looked away and pressed his fingers to his temples wearily. It was several moments before he responded.

“You know what? _Fine_. I’ll take a look, but then I’m going back to my lair and I get to be left alone until January. Is that clear?” He bit out, pinning Jack with a hard glare. Jack was too busy jumping into the air to listen, already halfway back to the tunnel that led up to Burgess.

“Come on, Pitch! You won’t regret it, I promise!”

Pitch sighed again. “That’s hardly a comfort,” He grumbled, stepping into the shadows to follow.

 

Jack looked down at the pumpkin festooned street every now and then to check on the dark shape that passed under him while he scanned the hordes of trick-or-treaters for his favorite group of believers. He knew Jamie’s route—Jamie and Monty had mapped out the most efficient route for candy collecting—and flew overhead until he spotted the ironically familiar silhouette peeking out from behind the enormous butterfly wings of Cupcake’s fairy costume. Jack bit his lip to keep from giggling in excitement as he landed with an icy skid alongside the group. 

“Sorry I’m late guys, I had to pick up a friend. Nice costumes everybody,” Jack greeted, appraising their costumes approvingly.

Cupcake was outfitted in an elaborate fairy princess outfit, complete with a flashlight wand. Her dress had been a Christmas present from North the year before, and the yeti had spared no expense in designing the perfect princes gown, complete with detachable gossamer wings.

The twins were dressed up as… twins… Conjoined twins. They wore one extra large shirt and jacket no doubt borrowed from their father, with one sleeve each and one massive pillowcase to share.

Monty wore an impressively retro astronaut costume, and beside him was a neon green, many-eyed monstrosity that turned out to be Pippa in an alien costume. She bobbed her googly-eye antennae at him in greeting.

“Jack! Jack!”

Jack turned just in time to save Sophie from face planting into his knees.

“Jamie, come over and stand with Sophie. I need to show someone your costumes,” Jack called, gesturing hurriedly for Jamie, who stepped up beside his little sister apprehensively. Jack stood up and looked over his shoulder, “Pitch, come look at this!”

Jamie immediately blanched. “Please tell me you didn’t tell-“

“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Pitch drawled, walking leisurely up the sidewalk towards them. With all the knee-high ghosts and werewolves running through the streets Pitch looked downright plain if not for the glow in his eyes and the inhuman grace he moved with. He took his sweet time approaching them too, much to Jack's irritation.

“-Pitch…” Jamie finished weakly, moving to creep behind Jack who smirked and dragged the reluctant boy back beside his sister. Sophie shrieked at the sight of the Bogeyman, and shook Jamie’s arm frantically.

“It’s Mr. Boogie, Jamie!” She whispered loudly and pointed rather unnecessarily to Pitch, who slowly froze as his eyes wandered over the two.

Jamie shuffled awkwardly in an altered vampire robe. In his hands he clenched a child sized grim reaper scythe that looked like it had been dipped in black paint and glitter with black ribbons glued to the blade. His hair was swept back and gelled into a spikey crest, and then spray-painted black, and every inch of his exposed skin was generously smeared in Halloween makeup. Whoever had done the contouring on his face deserved a medal for giving him his gray pallor, disturbingly hollowed cheeks, and deep eye sockets.

At Jamie’s side, the affectionately dubbed “Nightmare” Sophie pranced excitedly in a fluffy unicorn costume that was covered in black dye and left trails of glitter wherever she went. Jack beamed proudly at them.

“Well, Pitch? What do you think?” Jack looked up at the apparently speechless Bogeyman who was staring blankly back and forth between Jamie and Sophie, the former growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. Pitch bent down to their eye level and scrutinized them for another moment.

“And just what exactly are you supposed to be, young man?” Pitch asked in a dangerously soft voice. Jack gave Jamie’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“I-I’m… I’m the Bogeyman,” Jamie mumbled quietly, avoiding Pitch’s gaze. Pitch cocked his head to one side.

“I’m sorry? I didn’t catch that, could you say it again? A little louder this time.” Pitch cupped one hand around his ear dramatically. Jamie flinched and looked up at Jack despairingly. Jack nodded towards Pitch, and Jamie swallowed, forcing himself to meet Pitch’s eyes.

“I’m the Bogeyman,” Jamie repeated in a slightly louder voice, fidgeting with his scythe anxiously. Pitch nodded and eyed Sophie with the same piercing stare.

“See, Pitch? I told ya you’d love it!” Jack exclaimed, momentarily forgetting about the gel in Jamie’s hair as he went to ruffle it. Pitch ignored him and addressed Jamie again.

“And your sister? What is she?” he asked in what Jack could have sworn was a gentler voice.

“Imma-um… Imma….” Sophie blurted, her face scrunching in concentration as she wrestled with the word she wanted to say.

“…A _nightmare_?” Pitch ventured, his voice somehow matching her childish excitement, in its own very sinister way.

“Mmhm!” she confirmed, spreading her arms wide to show him more of her costume. Pitch nodded indulgently.

“And what a _pretty_ little nightmare you are,” He positively cooed, much to Sophie’s delight as she giggled and ducked behind her brother bashfully. Jack grinned. Despite the patronizing tone in Pitch’s voice, Jack knew how much of his enthusiasm was genuine.

Jamie breathed a heavy sigh of relief when Pitch finally straightened to scan the rest of the group, the corners of his lips quirking as he took in their costumes.

“Charming. Very charming. Forgive me if I show a bit of favoritism to my doppelgänger however.” Pitch gave Jamie a nod.

“Are you going to come trick-or-treating with us?” Pippa asked. Jack could see the way the group tensed at the prospect, but he smiled hopefully at the Bogeyman.

“Absolutely not,” Pitch snorted.

“Why not? It’d be fun!” one of the twins chirped. Pitch bared his teeth at them in what was probably meant to be a grin but ended up looking more like a grimace.

“Precisely. Not my area of expertise,” He replied tersely.

“Why not? Isn’t Halloween like your holiday?” Cupcake observed. 

“Why on earth would I celebrate a holiday denouncing fear?” Pitch scoffed. “It’s the one night of the year when children dress as monsters and overcome their fears.” He continued, scowling as though he tasted something bitter.

“Sourpuss,” Jack huffed, leaning against his staff. Pitch rounded on him with a snarl, lips drawn back as his shadow bristled like a porcupine on the sidewalk, making several of the children dance out of its reach.

“Do you want to see the haunted house?” Jamie offered unexpectedly.

“Pardon?” Pitch gave Jamie a stern frown, his shadow relaxing minutely.

“There’s this really cool haunted house nearby. It’s supposed to be super scary,” Cupcake supplied. Jack hid his grin behind one hand at the way Pitch’s attention shifted.

“Oh?” Pitch breathed.

“Oh yeah, totally! They set it up every year!” Caleb added.

Pitch seemed pensive, a far off look in his eyes as he gazed down the street.

“Sorry guys, I promised Pitch he could go home after he saw your costumes. Besides, he’s the Bogeyman. A haunted house? That’s probably _way_ beneath him,” Jack drawled, knowing full well what affect his words would have on Pitch as he lurched out of his thoughts.

“Oh but that is precisely why I should go. Who better to critique their skills than fear itself? Perhaps I can even give their guests a _proper_ scare,” Pitch disputed, and Jack couldn’t decide whether he should feel triumphant or concerned about the new addition to the group as the children set off on their trick-or-treating with a considerably boosted degree of excitement.

Pitch waited in front of each house they visited, making dull remarks about the effort put into decorations—or lack thereof—while Jack and the kids walked up to the front door to receive candy. Jack beamed as they returned when he noticed that Pitch hadn’t slipped away while they were gone.

“I brought you back some candy.” Jack brandished the fun-sized snickers bar that he’d swiped from the candy bowl in front of Pitch’s nose tantalizingly. Pitch rolled his eyes in disgust but snatched the candy from Jack’s hand. “This isn’t so bad, is it?” Jack asked with a smirk, hearing Pitch snort disbelievingly.

“Just wait until the little brats get tired.” was his curt reply.

Jack ended up carrying Sophie’s candy bucket between houses, occasionally sneaking candy for himself from everyone’s bags. Jamie and Cupcake blazed ahead of the group while Pitch took up the rear, spurring the stragglers (namely the twins who found walking in their shared costume particularly challenging) to quicken their pace with a well-timed comment that may or may not have been a veiled threat.

Pitch was right about the kids getting tired. Sophie had lasted about two blocks before demanding to be carried. They took turns at first, but carrying the rambunctious nightmare took a lot out of them, much to Jack’s dismay. The night had only just begun! He’d even convinced Sandy to push their bedtimes back to eleven o’clock (at great personal expense).

“Up!” Sophie insisted, swinging on Jack’s hoodie only seconds after he had lowered her to the ground. 

“You need to walk for a little while,” He told her gently, making her pout.

“ _Up_!” She whined, trying to climb up his arm. Jack was quick to pry her off, well aware of Sophie’s impressive grip strength. Jamie looked hesitant to step in.

“Is there a problem, Frost?” Pitch asked coolly, his expression neutral. Jack wanted to cringe at the smug glint in Pitch’s eye as he struggled with the increasingly fussy Sophie. “Best hurry up. You’re starting to fall behind,” Pitch warned him with a smile. Sophie left Jack’s arm and stumbled over to the official adult of the group, catching Pitch’s hand as it swung within reach, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

“Up?”

“Uh, no Soph, Pitch isn’t—“ Jamie began hastily, reaching to pull her away, but Sophie would not be moved.

“Up!” she demanded, tugging Pitch’s hand with as much violence as a three year old could muster.

“What’s the magic word?” Pitch prompted, raising an eyebrow as Sophie’s face scrunched in concentration.

“Up… please?” She mumbled uncertainly, fiddling with Pitch’s long fingers.

“Good girl,” Pitch praised, stooping for the excited Sophie to clamber up into his arms. He balanced her on his hip and fixed Jack with an unimpressed expression. “I expect a king-sized snickers for this, Jack,” was all he said as he strode past.

While Sophie was too tired to walk, she was not too tired to trick-or-treat apparently, and it was with great reluctance that Pitch agreed to carry her up to the front door of each house. Jack wondered what the adults who answered the door thought to make of the floating toddler they must have seen happily digging into their candy bowl when his question was answered by a good natured laugh.

“It’s so nice to see that some adults haven’t lost their Halloween spirit!” the lady with the candy bowl chimed, her eyes twinkling from under the brim of a candy corn festooned witch’s hat. Her gaze was fixed unwaveringly on Pitch, but that couldn't be right, because only children who believed could see Pitch-

“I beg your pardon?” he stammered, nearly dropping Sophie head first into the candy bowl.

“Your costume! I don’t see a lot of adults putting that much effort into one while their kids go trick-or-treating,” The lady plowed on obliviously. Pitch looked down at himself in confusion, readjusting his hold on the squirmy toddler.

“M-my what? I don’t have—“

“Don’t forget your candy too, young man!” she added, extending the bowl towards Jack, much to his astonishment. Jack fumbled with the candy as a new group of trick-or-treaters forced Pitch to retreat to the sidewalk with Jack on his heels. “Happy Halloween!” the lady called cheerfully as they left.

“She saw you!” Jack exclaimed, jogging to catch up with the group.

“She did…” Pitch confirmed, equally stunned.

“She saw _me_!”

“Yes.”

“But how?”

“I don’t know!”

“Candy!” Sophie squealed, emphasizing her point by thwacking Pitch in the side of the head with her plastic bucket.

It was the same with each house they visited. Though it seemed to Jack that he was more thrilled by the discovery than Pitch was. It took all of his willpower not to flip into the air with glee, and Jamie was just as excited.

“Maybe it’s because of Sophie! Because you’re holding her! It makes more sense to see someone carrying a kid rather than seeing the kid float on their own,” He theorized, matching each of Pitch’s strides with three of his own, winded from trying to keep up with Pitch’s suddenly brisk pace. Claude and Caleb had to jog to avoid being overtaken and were in serious danger of tripping over their own feet.

“But how come she saw me then?” Jack wondered, the wind carrying him forward every few steps.

“Maybe it’s just the holiday season?” Pippa suggested, a lollypop clenched firmly between her teeth, and Jack was reminded of the toothbrushes from Tooth in his hoodie pocket that he’d promised to slip into their candy bags when they weren’t looking. Why Tooth kept a supply of brand new toothbrushes in the Tooth Palace, Jack didn’t know. It wasn't as if the Tooth Palace had guests that she handed them out to. 

“Enough! Where is this supposed ‘haunted’ house?” Pitch snapped impatiently, confiscating Sophie’s candy bucket before it could collide with his head again.

“It’s on the next street,” Cupcake answered from the front of the group, still blazing the trail. Pitch hissed when the light of her flashlight wand fell on him and she directed its beam elsewhere with an eye roll.

 

The haunted house was impressive to say the least. At least to as Jack’s standards. He’d seen some pretty elaborate decorations that night, but none of them came anywhere close to this.

The entire first floor of the house had been redecorated, it seemed, so that trick-or-treaters could travel through and exit through the back door before making their way up the side of the house to return to the street. The lawn was a mess of tombstones and bones with a generous handful of fake crows to liven up the atmosphere. Glowing specters hung from the trees, and the front porch was decked with masterfully carved jack-o-lanterns of all shapes and sizes, many of which displayed the faces of popular horror movie monsters. A scarecrow was slumped in a rocking chair beside the front door to greet the visitors, and the children were hesitant to approach it.

“You go first,” Monty urged, shoving Pippa to the front as Pitch scowled at the screeching Halloween soundtrack being played from a stereo underneath the scarecrow’s chair. Pippa responded by dragging the twins in front of her, and they protested loudly (and impressively in unison) until Cupcake took the front with a brave face.

“Come on guys, he’s just gonna jump out at us as soon as we get close.”

Sure enough, the moment they tried to walk past the scarecrow lurched forward with a sudden roar, and even Jack had a good jump at the fright. Pitch huffed under his breath as he made to follow them inside when Sophie let out a wail.

“No!” she howled, kicking in his arms until Pitch had little choice but to set her down on her feet.

“Sophie, what’s wrong?” Jamie asked, though he had a fairly good idea of what it was.

“Don’ wanna go in!” Sophie whined, pulling at her arm futilely. Had it not been for Pitch’s grip, she no doubt would have bolted into the street.

“It’s okay, Sophie, none of it’s real,” Jamie assured her, but Sophie only whined louder and kicked Pitch solidly in the shin.

“Nooo!”

Pitch winced at the volume of her cry and shook his head in exasperation. “I suppose it can’t be helped. We’ll wait for you lot by the exit,” He announced, tugging Sophie towards the tables of candy that had been set up for the trick-or-treaters leaving the haunted house.

“A-are you sure?” Jack asked, hovering guiltily just inside the haunted house.

“Yes. Besides, Sanderson would skin me alive if I left a child unattended on a night like this.” With that, Pitch lured Sophie away with her candy bucket, leaving Jack to follow the others into the haunted house with a somewhat guilty conscious.

The haunted house was interesting. The kitchen was full of witches conspiring over a cauldron full of dry ice and LED lights, zombies dragged their rotting bodies up and down the hallway, and a werewolf was howling behind a closed door.

Jack thought the zombies were pretty cool (they even left smears of fake blood as they crawled), but he’d seen scarier things in North’s workshop after the elves had gotten into the eggnog supply. Pitch hadn’t missed much, and at least the kids had fun, Jack supposed as they made their way back to the front of the house.

“Hey, where’s Pitch and Sophie?” Jamie asked suddenly, scanning the street for his little sister.

A chorus of screams rose up from the haunted house behind them, and Jack turned just in time to see Pitch striding from the haunted house with a giggly Sophie on his shoulders. “How’d you get Sophie to go through?” He asked, looking between Pitch and Sophie for answers.

“Bribery is incredibly effective. I can see why the Guardians are so partial to it,” Pitch chuckled as he plucked a plastic spider from the table and slipped it into Sophie’s candy bucket. Behind him, children were running out of the house in varying states of distress, some in tears, and Jack aimed a glare at Pitch who was picking through the bowls for a fake rat to sneak into Sophie’s bucket next.

“What did you bribe her with?” Jack demanded wearily. Sophie was mussing Pitch’s hair a bit, but she seemed cheerful enough, especially when Pitch lifted her off his shoulders so she could take some candy from the bowls.

“A pretty nightmare to match her pretty costume,” Pitch replied with a sharp smile. Jack’s glare hardened and Pitch deflated a little. “Fine, fine. I promised her a piece of candy,” he admitted in a slightly more bitter tone.

“A big one,” Sophie interjected seriously as she clambered up Pitch’s body.

“A big one, yes,” He agreed, hoisting her back up onto his shoulders. Satisfied, Sophie resumed tousling his hair and Pitch’s scowl returned.

Sophie was asleep barely five minutes later. She’d slumped over Pitch’s head and when she started to slip Pitch had moved her back into his arms. Now she slept with her cheek against his shoulder, no doubt drooling onto his robes as he walked. Pitch made Jack swear, on pain of death (horrible, agonizing, excruciating death), to never breathe a word of it to anyone, ever. It was a shame he forgot to make any such deals with the other children that were privy to the event.

 

The group’s numbers thinned as, one by one, they each went home, until only Jamie and Sophie remained.

“Thanks for carrying Sophie,” Jamie told Pitch, genuinely grateful for the help. Pitch grunted in response, adjusting his hold as best he could when Sophie’s head started to loll. Jack had offered many times to take on the burden of the toddler, but even if Pitch had agreed it was highly unlikely that any of them would have been able to remove her. “It’s not much further to our house—“

"Jamie? Sophie?"

Jamie stiffened and his eyes widened in horror. "Mom?!" He yelped, whirling to face his mother. "What are you—"

"I told you I would be visiting a friend’s house while you went trick-or-treating," His mother interrupted, but she wasn't looking at Jamie. No, her eyes were fixed unwaveringly on the man currently holding her daughter. "And who are you?" She demanded, apparently torn between taking Sophie from Pitch and slapping him across the face.

Jack’s stomach dropped and the revelation that they could be seen was suddenly less exciting than he’d initially thought. He cringed, glancing at Pitch fearfully to see how he would respond.

Pitch blinked once. Twice. And then his face broke into the most natural smile Jack had ever seen him make.

"Mrs. Bennett!" He exclaimed as he freed one hand from Sophie and held it out for her to shake. "We met two Easters ago, I'm not sure if you remember. It's wonderful to see you again," Pitch continued enthusiastically. Mrs. Bennett took the offered hand wearily after some hesitation, some of the aggression melting out of her stance.

"I'm sorry? I don't think I've ever met you. Do you mind if I took my daughter back?" She nodded stiffly to the sleeping Sophie and, to Jack's astonishment, Pitch's improvised acting continued. 

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry, it isn't right of me to hold someone else's child is it?" He rambled as though he were just now noticing the situation, passing Sophie along to a much-relieved Mrs. Bennett who did little to disguise her distrust as she ushered Jamie to her side.

"No, it's not," She agreed coldly, "Who did you say you were again?" She narrowed her eyes and inspected his face as though dedicating it to her memory. She would no doubt give Pitch’s description to the police by the end of the night. If he hadn’t still been reeling from the fact that she could see Pitch, Jack would have been laughing his ass off.

"Mr. Bogey!" Sophie whined, squirming in confusion when she found she was no longer in Pitch's arms. Mrs. Bennett looked down at her in surprise as the sleepy toddler grabbed at Pitch fussily. Pitch laughed warmly, making Mrs. Bennett flinch. Jack flinched too. He hadn't known Pitch could sound so _cheerful_.

"Please excuse her, I'm the 'Bogeyman'," Pitch said, his newly freed hands making air quotes.

Mrs. Bennett stepped back slightly and seemed to notice Pitch's attire for the first time. Her eyes widened in recognition.

"Is this where Jamie got his costume idea from?" She asked, glancing down at the gob smacked Jamie.

Pitch chuckled, "Guilty as charged. I must have left the scythe at home," He said with a nervous laugh, patting the sides of his robes as if he were checking his pockets. Jack wanted to gag at how unbelievably corny Pitch was acting. Jamie’s mom would never fall for it, but Jack was almost curious to see Pitch try.

“He was working at the haunted house. There were some… teenagers hanging around and he offered to walk us home,” Jamie added hurriedly. Mrs. Bennett narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before turning her scrutiny back on Pitch.

“I see. And what did you say your name was?” Mrs. Bennett asked tensely. The question seemed to catch Pitch off guard, and his hesitation did not go unnoticed.

“Ah… Pitch. Pitch Black,” He said falteringly. “It’s a… Pseudonym,” He added lamely.

“Oh?” Mrs. Bennett said disbelievingly, not that Jack would blame her. Pitch was not deterred.

“Yes. My real name is odd and difficult to remember, so I’ve taken to being addressed by something easier,” He elaborated. Apparently he had found a role to play, and Jack was begrudgingly impressed by his ability to be so spontaneously two-faced. Mrs. Bennett decided to play along.

"Do you live around here?" She asked, bouncing Sophie back to sleep. 

"No, I'm here with a... Friend," Pitch's eyes flicked towards Jack and Mrs. Bennett followed his glance, jolting in surprise.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there," She exclaimed.

Pitch elbowed him in the side and Jack stiffened in horror as he was dragged into the conversation.

"I believe she was talking to you, Jackson." Pitch's friendly grin widened like the Cheshire cat and Jack felt his heart stop. "Why don't you say hello to Mrs. Bennett?" He suggested, a menacing edge entering his voice.

"M-me?" Jack stammered, drawing his staff closer.

“Mrs. Bennett, this is a friend of mine. Jackson Overland,” Pitch introduced smoothly, to Jack’s utter shock. How had Pitch known his last name had been-

“Overland? I have relatives named Overland,” Mrs. Bennett said as she shook Jack’s hand with significantly more wiliness than she’d had with Pitch.

“Do you? Goodness, what a small world,” Pitch exclaimed.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Jack managed, wondering if she felt how cold his hands were as he returned her handshake clumsily.

Mrs. Bennett scrutinized Jack a little more intently, eyeing his hair and clothes, which she no doubt took to be a costume as she had assumed with Pitch.

“Jack is a good friend of Jamie’s,” Pitch explained, relieved to have deflected her suspicions for the time being. Now all that was left was for him to find a way to escape unscathed.

“Is this the same Jack you’ve been talking to your friends about, Jamie?” Mrs. Bennett asked in surprise, looking down at her son who nodded hastily, eager to get out of the situation unpunished. It was difficult to decide which was worse, letting a complete stranger watch his younger sister or letting the Bogeyman watch his younger sister. “Oh! Well it’s a pleasure to meet you then!” she said, a kind smile breaking across her features.

“L-likewise,” Jack stuttered. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Pitch’s hand fell on his shoulder.

“Well, it was lovely meeting you again Mrs. Bennett, but we probably should be going. It’s getting late. I’m sure you’ll see Jack around.” Pitch used his silkiest voice (normally reserved for riling Tooth), sparing no time in dragging Jack to freedom, barely giving him a chance to wave goodbye as they made their escape.

“Thanks for walking us home, Pitch!” Jamie called after them before they could disappear.

“’It’s a pseudonym’. Really, Pitch?” Jack chuckled as Pitch hauled him through the shadows and reemerged near Jack’s pond.

“Well pardon me for not having a likely alias on hand!” he spat, dumping Jack into a snow bank. Jack laughed as the wind swept him from the snow and carried him high above Pitch’s head.

“Still,” Jack landed on the bare branch of a nearby tree, giggling, “couldn’t you have picked a better name?”

“At least I said something!” Pitch snipped back, bristling irately. “I should have just left after that pathetic excuse for a horror show,” He grumbled under his breath. Jack leapt from the tree with an easy smile.

“At least you had fun though, right?” His smile widened when Pitch merely turned away with a growl. To the untrained ear, it might have sounded like a wild animal about to bite, but Jack knew better.

“You do still owe me that snickers, don’t think I’d forgotten,” Pitch reminded him sternly. Jack suppressed a smirk at the obvious attempt to change the subject and reached into his pocket only to freeze.

“Ah… I might have left it with Sophie. Whoops.”

“You what?!”

“Happy Halloween!”

 

Jack kept his promise, and Pitch was not disturbed until January.

 


End file.
